National consultant on improving adolescent and youth mental health services in Georgia
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For every child, health
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
Provide technical support to Georgia’s Child, Adolescent and Youth Psychosocial and Mental Health Care Reform preparatory process and ensure overall coordination.
Scope of Work:
Background
The access of adolescents and youth to mental health (MH) services is limited, available only in big cities, although they are scattered and not coordinated appropriately. As mentioned by the students and MH professionals during research undertaken by UNICEF , the barriers to receiving mental health services include lack of information, high prices for visits to specialists and medications, mistrust of specialists' knowledge and qualifications, and fear of the breach of confidentiality when receiving services.
The survey carried out in Georgia in 2018 found a significantly lower number of people using mental health services than officially registered cases. More than half of the patients likely avoided referrals because of stigma, poor service quality and insufficient geographical and financial accessibility. According to the experts, the most challenging and underdeveloped areas are child and adolescent mental healthcare, housing, and psychosocial care for chronic patients with mental disorders. There is still a substantial lack of qualified psychiatric nurses and social workers. However, formation of multidisciplinary operational groups and an active National Institute of Mental Health have laid a good foundation for development.
In recent years, the changing humanitarian contexts have created a more dangerous environment for children and adolescents’ well-being and development. In line with global trends, the burden of poor adolescent and youth mental health has increased in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia as well. According to the research on the Prevalence of Mental Health and Access to Services among 18-24 Years old University Students in Georgia , the prevalence of MH conditions is high with one out of four young people experiencing moderate or severe anxiety symptoms, one in three suffering from signs of depression, and one-third of students having thought about suicide at least once in their lives.
The same research revealed very low knowledge of MH issues among students - although 97 per cent of the surveyed students have heard the term "mental health," only one third of them have some information about it. More than thirty per cent of students mentioned that they do not share their feelings and experiences related to mental health with anyone, which indicates the low level of connectedness among youth.
In order to address the needs of children, adolescents and youth in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services, in 2019 the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MoIDPLHSA), with technical supervision of Georgia Mental Health Association (GMHA) and financial support of Open Society - Georgia Foundation, initiated development of a system of child, adolescent and youth MHPSS services in Georgia. The process engaged various international experts who selected the Slovenian model as a suitable for the Georgia context. This model was discussed and well accepted by the MoIDPLHSA. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic hampered the continuation of the process, and no progress has taken place in the field of child, adolescent and youth mental health.
Given the adolescents’ burden of disease and disability caused by poor mental health and the impact of mental well-being on the survival, growth and development of young people, this is a priority area of action for UNICEF globally . According to national statistics, there is an increasing incidence of mental and behavioural disorders in Georgia among children under 15 years old (incidence in 2021 - 109.5; incidence in 2020 - 82.3) . Therefore, UNICEF Georgia is working to better operationalize the MHPSS commitments across sectors and thus support children’s and adolescents’ development and their chances for reaching their full potential.
UNICEF, in agreement and coordination with the MoIDPLHSA, is planning to revive the consultation process that will lead to the development of a child, adolescent and youth mental health reform strategy and plan of action. The Government of Georgia is ready to embark on mental health care system reform that strengthens service access for all children, adolescents and youth living in the country. To make this happen, UNICEF seeks to commission a national mental health expert, who will work in coordination with an international MH expert and various MHPSS field stakeholders to execute the tasks as stipulated in this ToR.
Objective and scope of work
The anticipated result of this consultancy is the development of Georgia’s child, adolescent and youth psychosocial and mental health care reform strategy and action plan with the respective timelines and budget.
The assignment is for 90 days stretched across 12 months and is expected to meet the following specific objectives:
1. Prepare situation analyses of Georgia’s child, adolescent and youth psychosocial and mental health care system.
Facilitate a stakeholder meeting to collect information on available child, adolescent and youth mental health and psychosocial services, geographical coverage, gaps in policy frameworks, programmes and service provision and recommendations for overcoming the challenges.
Develop situation analyses report
2. Facilitate consensus building among the stakeholders to reconfirm the MoIDPLHSA decision on replication and adaptation of Slovenia’s model of adolescent and youth mental health and psychosocial services to Georgia country context
Reach out Slovenian expert(s) and work closely with them on a Slovenia model presentation that would clearly demonstrate the path Georgia’s heath care system needs to follow to reform child, adolescent and youth mental health and psychosocial services.
Organize stakeholder meeting to commit to child, adolescent and youth mental health reform as an ongoing national priority; to agree and formalize the decision on child, adolescent and youth mental health and psychosocial service organization model.
Establish a Working Group (WG) on Mental Health Reform, supported by an Expert Reference Group, to enhance government’s accountability
Define the reform directions in close collaboration with the key players and suggest an effective composition of the WG (to be confirmed by the MoIDPLHSA)
- Develop the ToRs for the reform direction leaders
Propose the composition of the Expert Reference Group (to be confirmed by the MoIDPLHSA) and develop its ToR
Propose the reform governance and accountability arrangements to hold the Government directly accountable for the reform implementation
4. Develop a child, adolescent and youth mental health reform strategy
5. Support development of child, adolescent and youth mental health plan of action
Process of the consultancy
UNICEF will recruit a national expert with strong expertise in the field of adolescent/youth MHPSS through competitive bidding process. The consultant will work in close collaboration with an international expert and national stakeholders including adolescent and youth themselves. The consultant will organize and coordinate the workshops, round table meetings, interviews and discussions with the stakeholders for accomplishing the deliverables as stipulated in the ToR.
The national consultant will periodically meet with UNICEF responsible officers during the assignment, to agree on working methods, responsibilities and discuss progress. The meetings may take place in-person or via online modalities.
The final report of the assignment will be developed and submitted to UNICEF upon completion of the deliverables.
The final report of the assignment will be developed and submitted to UNICEF upon completion of the
a. Work Assignments Overview
Facilitate a stakeholder meeting to collect information on available child, adolescent and youth mental health and psychosocial services, geographical coverage, gaps in policy frameworks, programmes and service provision and recommendations for overcoming the challenges.
Deliverables/Outputs
- Stakeholder meeting is organized
Delivery deadline
20 November 2023
b. Work Assignments Overview
Prepare situation analyses of Georgia’s Child, Adolescent and Youth Psychosocial and Mental Health Care system.
Deliverables/Outputs
- Situation Analyses report developed and submitted
Delivery deadline
10 December 2023
c. Work Assignments Overview
Facilitate consensus building among the stakeholders to reconfirm the MoIDPLHSA decision on replication and adaptation of Slovenia’s model of adolescent and youth mental health and psychosocial services to Georgia country context.
Deliverables/Outputs
- Stakeholder meeting is organized to agree and formalize the decision on child, adolescent and youth mental health and psychosocial service organization model.
Delivery deadline
30 April 2024
d. Work Assignments Overview
Establish and Coordinate Working Groups (WG) per mental reform directions
Deliverables/Outputs
4. ToRs for WGs are developed
5. WGs are established
Delivery deadline
30 May 2024
e. Work Assignments Overview
Establish child, adolescents and youth mental health reform ERG at the MoIDPLHSA
Deliverables/Outputs
6. ToR for the ERG
7. The ERG is established and functional
Delivery deadline
30 May 2024
f. Work Assignments Overview
Draft child, adolescent and youth mental health reform strategy
Deliverables/Outputs
8. Child, adolescent and youth mental health reform strategy developed
Delivery deadline
30 August 2024
g. Work Assignments Overview
Support drafting of the plan of action
Deliverables/Outputs
9. draft plan of action
Delivery deadline
15 November 2024
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have
Minimum Qualifications required:
Master’s degree in mental health
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
Master’s degree in mental health; experience and understanding of MHPSS system architecture
At least 10 years of professional experience in the field of mental health and psychosocial support
Demonstrated ability and knowledge to develop strategies, legislation and policy documents with focus on mental health
Experience in providing consultancy services for national and/or local governments in mental health.
Strong knowledge of the health sector and mental health issues facing children, adolescents and youth
Process management skills, including facilitation and communication with stakeholders
Proven excellent analytical thinking and strategic planning skills
Excellent writing and oral communication skills in Georgian and English
Knowledge of UN programming and previous working experience with UN and/or in international agencies will be an advantage.
3. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-international/article/transitioning-to-communitybased-mental-healthcare-reform-experiences-of-five-countries/35A94E06F0ABCD79515AFB3B46FAE9FC. Eka Chkonia, Norbert Skokauskas, et.
5 https://www.unicef.org/media/82926/file/Adolescent-Mental-Health-Matters-Report-Final-July2020.pdf
6 https://ncdc.ge/Api/api/File/GetFile/ea1784b5-d3d0-4dd9-b29f-1369f5d6bbec
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.
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Source:
unicef.org
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